The mental health impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on hong kong youth: Preliminary results from the hong kong youth mental health epidemiological study (HKYES)

T.H Chung,E.Y Chen,S.K Chan,A.S Yuen,W Chang,C.S Wong,E.H Lee,C.L Hui

doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.744

T.H Chung, E.Y Chen + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.744

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Abstract

IntroductionThe 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global health crisis that originated in China. As an adjacent city to the origin of COVID-19, Hong Kong has been facing different public health challenges raised by the epidemic.ObjectivesThis paper examined the prevalence of common physical symptoms, psychological symptoms, somatic symptoms, and health anxiety among the Hong Kong youth population.MethodsHKYES is an on-going territory-wide epidemiological study collecting youth mental health data with randomly stratified sampling. Participants aged 15-24 years were to complete a physical symptom checklist, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15), and Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI).ResultsA total of 594 participants have completed the survey since April 2020. The three most common physical symptoms were headache (n=106, 17.8%), fever (n=94, 15.8%) and fatigue (n=78, 13.1%). The mean scores of DASS depression, anxiety and stress subscales were 7.98 (SD 8.14), 5.81 (SD 6.32), and 8.83 (SD 7.93) respectively. Among all, 135 (22.8%) participants reported moderate to severe levels of depressive symptoms, 133 (22.4%) reported moderate to severe levels of anxiety symptoms, and 71 (12%) reported moderate to severe levels of stress. There were 40 (6.7%) and 60 (10.1%) participants showing significant levels of insomnia and somatic symptoms, while around one-third of the participants reported a high level of health anxiety.ConclusionsYouth is at risk of severe psychological impact during the coronavirus. Monitoring the mental health trajectory for youth should become routine practice during times of crisis.

Highlights

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a great impact on health care workers (HCWs) who are exposed to high levels of stress and trauma leading to negative mental health outcomes, including stress-related symptoms and depressive symptoms
In this cross-sectional study, we report on mental health outcomes among HCWs in Cyprus
Data were collected between May 3rd and May 27th, 2020, using an online questionnaire that included demographics, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), assessing depressive symptoms, the Impact of Events Scale Revised (IES-R) measuring PTSD symptoms and the 10 item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) measuring stress

Summary

Introduction

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global health crisis that originated in China. As an adjacent city to the origin of COVID-19, Hong Kong has been facing different public health challenges raised by the epidemic. Objectives: This paper examined the prevalence of common physical symptoms, psychological symptoms, somatic symptoms, and health anxiety among the Hong Kong youth population. Participants aged 15-24 years were to complete a physical symptom checklist, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS21), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15), and Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI). 135 (22.8%) participants reported moderate to severe levels of depressive symptoms, 133 (22.4%) reported moderate to severe levels of anxiety symptoms, and 71 (12%) reported moderate to severe levels of stress. Telecommunication and neuropsychiatric symptoms in long term care dementia patients during the COVID-19 lockdown ERA

Findings